Recipes

RECIPES

From BY BLOOD POSSESSED:

Grandmom Montella's Bread Soup with Greens

2 eggs or equivalent low-cholesterol egg substitute
Locatelli or Romano cheese, grated, about a tablespoon
Italian bread cut into about 4 dozen half-inch cubes
1 quart plain chicken broth
Escarole (optional, or endive, spinach, or other greens can be substituted), about 1 cup cooked

Beat the eggs or egg substitute together with the cheese, then dip the cubes and fry them like French toast in a few drops of oil. Drain them on a paper towel, then put them in a container in the fridge for at least two hours (they won't fall apart later if they're cold first).

Cook the greens in the broth until wilted. Add the bread cubes and let them warm in the soup at least 10 minutes. Ladle into bowls. Sprinkle to taste with more grated cheese.

Pat's note: 2 cans of Progresso Escarole soup can be used instead of broth and greens. To prevent Grandmom from rolling in her grave, say three Hail Marys before adding cubes.

Makes 4 servings.

Grandmom Montella's Zucchini Sauce (made easy)

28 oz can of tomato puree
1/2 onion, chopped
2 6-oz cans of tomato paste optional: bell pepper
palmful of oregano, handful of basil, to taste
4 small zucchini (the small ones are more tender and don't take as long to cook, but you can use 3 bigger ones)

Cook the onion in a tiny bit of oil. If you're using bell pepper, chop it and cook with the onion. When the onion's soft, add tomato puree, paste and herbs. Don't add salt; it's bad for you. Let simmer for 45 minutes while you slice the zucchini, leaving the skin on (they hold together better). Toss the slices in the sauce and let cook until soft.

Makes about 48 oz–more than enough for a pound of pasta.

From HANG MY HEAD AND CRY:

Dori Avery's Hoppin' John

10-15 oz. piece of ham
1 bay leaf
1 cup black-eyed peas
1 chopped onion
1 cup uncooked rice
1/2 celery stalk, chopped
1/4 teaspoon of crushed red pepper, or more to taste

Put ham in a large saucepan. Cover with water and simmer about a 1/2 hour. Add onions, celery, bay leaf and pepper. Wash peas well, throwing out damaged ones, and add to pot. Add more water until peas are covered. Simmer until the peas are tender and liquid level is low--about 2 hours. Take ham out and chop into bite-sized pieces, discarding any bone, then mix ham pieces back into peas.

Cook rice separately according to the package directions. Mix well into peas and ham. Add more pepper if needed. Cook over low heat until all liquid is absorbed. (If the rice comes out too gummy, reduce the liquid in the peas next time, before adding the rice.)

Makes 5-6 servings.

Sarah June Avery's Sweet Potato Salad

4 medium sweet potatoes or yams, cooked, chilled, and diced
3/4 cup fresh pineapple
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup fat-free mayo
1/2 cup marshmallow fluff
2 tbsp orange juice

Combine sweet potatoes, pineapple and pecans. Mix mayo, fluff and orange juice. Add to salad. Toss gently. Can be topped with pineapple rings, mini-marshmallows, cherries, or a combination, depending what kind of sugar high you're after.

Makes 4 to 6 servings.

From POISON TO PURGE MELANCHOLY:

APPLE TANSY CASSEROLE

4 eggs
3 baking apples
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 cup milk
cinnamon sugar (about 2 tbsp sugar to 1/4 tsp cinnamon)

Pare apples and cut into thin slices. Beat eggs into suds, add sugar and vanilla, beat well. Add milk and nutmeg, mix well. Preheat oven to 300-325. Grease baking dish. Line bottom with half the apple slices. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar over them. Pour 1/2 egg mixture over top. Add another layer of the rest of the apple slices. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar. Pour in rest of egg mixture. Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until custard sets.

NOTE: In the book–and in Colonial America–this was cooked in a frying pan, but Pat says "Who wants to stand at a stove? Especially if you've got guests in for the holidays."